This invention relates to optical waveguides, and more specifically relates to a novel semiconductor heterostructure for optical waveguides.
A large number of applications exist for miniaturized optical waveguide modulators, such as waveguide phase modulators, intensity modulators and interferometers. Specific relevant prior art includes Zucher et al. (infra), wherein the use of a barrier reservoir and quantum well electron transfer structure (BRAQWETS) is known for a Mach Zehnder interferometer, having a phase modulator in one of two split waveguides as described by Zucker et al, "Multi-Gigahertz Bandwidth Intensity Modulators Having Tunable Electron-Density Multiple Quantum Well Waveguides", Phys. Lett., Vol. 59, 201-203 (1990) and Zucker et al. Electron Lett. 26, 2029 (1990).